1. Field of the invention
This invention relates generally to air washing apparatus, and particularly to apparatus for washing coal dust and the like, from a mine shaft.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Spraying systems are commonly employed in coal mines, and the like, which concentrate a spray against the generating point of coal dust and other particulate matter. The efficiency of such known spraying systems, however, is rather low, and the spray has a tendency to carry beyond a desired point and interfere with the work of miners working downstream of the spray. In addition, the spray intends only to push against the dust and other particulate matter, which only results in the dust being moved around, and not removed from the air as is the object of the spraying system.
It has been proposed to use a diffuser employing a liquid spray in order to collect particulate matter in a coal mine, and the like. See U.S. Pat. No. 3,907,208, issued Sept. 23, 1975 to J. M. Agnew et al. This known device works in the manner of a conventional diffusion pump inasmuch as the particulate-laden air is drawn into a duct upstream of a liquid spray so as to be drawn along by the spray in much the manner as air molecules are drawn out of a vacuum chamber by a diffusion pump. Wetting of the particulate matter will cause this matter to fall to the floor of the shaft, whereby the air is rid of it.
One principal reason for removing coal dust and similar particulate matter from a coal mine shaft, other than the health of the miners and the efficiency of equipment in the mine, is that the coal dust can cause explosions within the mine. See U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,735,927, issued Nov. 19, 1929 to L. Kessler, and 3,164,079, issued Jan. 5, 1965 to A. F. Ross, for examples of mine safety apparatus intended to prevent such build-up of dust, gases, and the like, in mines so as to cause an explosion or toxic breathing conditions for the miners.